Mobile Marketing Trends that Marketers Should Look out for in 2016

Mobile Marketing Trends that Marketers Should Look out for in 2016

In today’s overly-digitalized world, we rely on our mobile devices to be the beacons of social interaction, information gathering, and work endeavors. Indeed, nothing has had such a profound effect on the way that we engage each other, the way we work, communicate, play, or socialize.

What’s more, we currently use our phones for literally everything – from GPS navigation to picture taking, and from sending emails to tracking our athletic performance. They have become integral parts of our lifestyle and businesses are picking up on that.

“People are considering mobile devices as an extension of themselves in their personal and professional lives, and new opportunities have been created for marketers,” Brit Tammeorg from TextMagic explains.

In fact, 2015 marked the moment when mobile traffic stole the lead from desktop traffic, a comScore report shows. So what’s in store for mobile users and how will mobile marketing methods keep up?

2016 Mobile Marketing Trends according to Experts

The purpose of mobile technology is to allow users to quickly and easily access the information that they need. Be it a restaurant just around the corner or a local barber shop, today’s user is after instant gratification. As a result, businesses will have to adjust their approach so that they can deliver the content a user seeks.

A Customer-oriented Approach

Seeing how the average mobile phone user will pick up his or her device anywhere from 150 to 200 times a day (source), and that approximately 73% of people don’t leave home without their cell phones (source), a customer-oriented focus is something that most businesses should seriously consider.

This involves meaningful interactions that provide real value to mobile device users. Businesses need to understand how exactly they can make this impact. Experts believe that ease-of-use will be the simplest way, especially since simplicity is pivotal when it comes to mobile usage. Brands that will be capable of using technology in a smart way so as to simplify the life of their customers will earn those customers’ loyalty by creating experiences they cannot live without.

Intimate Social Networking

Mobile users feel the need to engage with fellow users via private social platforms and messaging networks (such as Snapchat or Instagram’s recent “Finstagramming” feature, which restricts accounts to really close friends). Of course, this means that mobile marketers will have to come up with new features that can be added into their messaging layers such as one-on-one brand interactions, payment features, e-commerce features, and more.

Video Ads

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Google is constantly experimenting with search results and video advertisements will certainly be something to look forward to in 2016. Autoplay ads have become commonplace on social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, but as Google keeps experimenting, it’s only a matter of time before Autoplay advertisements also become a component of SERP results. What’s essential about Autoplay ads is the fact that they rely on engagement metrics rather than views (a metric that is slowly falling out of favor in 2016). Click-through-rates, lengths of view, and post-ad view actions are likely to influence SERP rankings.

Other social media platforms (such as Instagram) have also started to incorporate video ads. Video ads are gaining so much popularity that agencies and businesses have already started seeing the benefits of Instagram marketing.

It’s only a matter of time before advertising dollars will start to move away from the TV screens and towards mobile video advertising. Unlike conventional ads, with mobile advertising, a brand can leverage the opportunity of redirecting a prospect via a well-placed ad towards the company website or app.

Augmented and Virtual Reality Marketing

Despite the fact that VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality) emerged as technologies aimed to improve the gaming experience, 2016 may represent the year where they become a consumer access enabler. Real estate, entertainment, hospitality, and sports – such industries can benefit greatly from VR and AR by using immersive experiences. Mass market use cases may become commonplace in consumer and enterprise sectors.

Shoppable Video

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This concept is by no means new; however, with the constant improvements that Android and iOS have been making to their software, it will be easier than ever before. Retail chains have already started to experiment with the ‘Shoppable Video’ idea by creating videos enabling consumers to engage in real-time.

Ecommerce Integration

So many social media platforms allow internet users to discover unique products; however few of them have started experimenting with easy purchasing options yet. Seamlessly integrating e-commerce into social media platforms will certainly be something to look out for in 2016, as platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest are already incorporating visual marketing technology into their ‘Shoppable Instagram’ and ‘Buyable Pins’ features.

Mobile Marketing Automation

With mobile marketing on a path of global growth and pervasiveness, marketers will have to rethink their approach and strategically connect with their customers. That’s where automation comes into play: it allows businesses to analyze their customers’ behavior with the help of big data and deliver personalized timely messages that encourage engagement and loyalty.

Increasing Security Standards

As more and more of our daily activities are conducted via mobile devices, users can no longer focus on the conventional lock when it comes to security. Brands will have to anticipate their user’s need for security and integrate technology that protects and reassures their customers of the security standards they uphold.

The key takeaway is to focus on your target audience and only approach them when they’re ready to engage with you. Interrupting a mobile user’s experience is bothersome and frustrating (a prevailing sentiment that is contributing to an ever-increasing adoption of ad-blocking).

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Helen is a freelance writer with a passion for social media and mobile marketing who is currently building up her portfolio.She has a passion for tackling issues such as the hurdles of business communication, small business growth and applicable strategies for business owners.